The Daily Puppy

Monday, December 6, 2010

Bryzgalov backstops Coyotes' 3-0 win over Ducks

ANAHEIM, Calif. -Ilya Bryzgalov shut out his former team for the third time since leaving Anaheim, Taylor Pyatt scored on a deflection and Shane Doan connected during a power play to lead the Phoenix Coyotes to a 3-0 victory over the Ducks on Sunday night.

Bryzgalov made 39 saves for his second shutout of the season and 18th of his NHL career. He was waived by the Ducks during the 2007-08 season and claimed by the Coyotes.

Lee Stempniak, playing in his 400th NHL regular-season game, scored into an empty net with 2:56 remaining.

The Ducks, who recorded 41 shots in a 4-0 loss to Detroit on Friday, were shut out in consecutive games for the first time since March 2008. It was the first time they were blanked in back-to-back home games since October 2003.

Teemu Selanne was scratched from Anaheim's lineup for the fifth time in seven games because of a groin pull.

Joffrey Lupul, who hadn't played in an NHL game since Dec. 8, 2009, because of back surgery and a subsequent blood infection, made his season debut on Selanne's line. Saku Koivu and Jason Blake were activated from the long-term injury list.

Pyatt opened the scoring 10:59 in, redirecting Sami Lepisto's one-timer from the right point through Jonas Hiller's legs. Hiller, who threw his head back in disgust after the puck eluded him, finished with 23 saves.

The Ducks, who snapped the Coyotes' seven-game winning streak with a 6-4 victory at Phoenix on Nov. 27, received four consecutive minor penalties during a 4:18 span of the second period. The Coyotes netted only one power-play goal out of it.

Andy Sutton was off for slashing Scottie Upshall when Hiller stopped defenseman Keith Yandle's one-timer, but Doan converted the rebound.

NOTES: Lupul had scored in each of his previous three games with the Ducks last December after missing seven straight because of back spasms that led to the operation. ... Doan has 27 career goals against Anaheim, matching his total against Dallas for the most the Coyotes' captain has scored against any team. Hiller stopped him on a breakaway with 5:43 remaining. ... The Ducks are 1-4 without Selanne. They were 12-12-4 last season when he didn't play and 27-20-7 when he did. ... Ducks D Cam Fowler, who scored his first NHL goal against the Coyotes on Oct. 17 and broke his nose in that game when he collided with Doan, turned 19. Fowler was 10 months old when Selanne made his NHL debut with Winnipeg. ... Pyatt's four goals this season have been scored on the road.